No guns for NIC campus

COEUR d'ALENE - A majority of North Idaho College's five-member board of trustees voted Tuesday to oppose state legislation that would allow some individuals to carry firearms on the state's higher education campuses.

During a special meeting of the board, trustees Judy Meyer, Ron Nilson, Christie Wood and Ken Howard each said they could not support the proposed law and voted to oppose it as a board.

Trustee Todd Banducci cast the lone dissenting vote.

Senate Bill 1254, introduced Monday in Boise, would allow retired law enforcement officers and anyone holding an Idaho enhanced concealed weapons license to carry firearms on college grounds.

"It presents an impossible situation for us to deal with in terms of trying to regulate the safety of this campus," said board chair Ken Howard, during a discussion before the trustees voted on the issue.

Howard said that while there may be some merit to providing firearms access to retired law enforcement officers on campus, he is concerned that the criteria for average citizens to receive enhanced concealed-carry licenses is far less stringent.

Permits issued to retired officers are good for one year, Howard said. The enhanced weapons licenses available to all citizens do not expire for five years.

Judy Meyer said that for her, it was an issue of local control. NIC already has its own policy that bans firearms on campus, without exceptions. The state law, if passed, would supersede the college's policy.

Ron Nilson indicated he would like to see other options explored that would give NIC some latitude in arming their security personnel, and possibly a handful of teachers with special training. At this time, NIC security personnel are not armed.

Nilson said he owns a handgun and believes in the rights afforded by the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

"But I also believe that the safety of our students is the most important thing," Nilson said.

Nilson said guns are often used on college campuses in situations where alcohol is being consumed or an individual is in a heightened emotional state.

"I struggle with the fact that (if the legislation becomes law) we change our policy from no guns at all to what is being proposed under this Senate Bill 1254," Nilson said.

Todd Banducci reminded Nilson that the proposed legislation still restricts firearms from being carried in student dormitories and residence halls and in areas where 1,000 people or more can assemble.

Banducci was sharply critical of arguments opposing the proposed guns on campus legislation.

"I myself am a life member of the NRA. Here's the NRA saying, let's talk about sensible legislation. Is the educational liberal mind incapable of compromise or to even look outside what their strident opinion is of what they have to have?" Banducci said. "It's amazing how we have such a knee-jerk reaction to anything to do with weapons by the elite educated."

He cited North Idaho's hunting culture as a reason to support the legislation at NIC, and said the college's existing policy banning firearms "usurps" state law.

"In the capitol, you can walk right up the steps carrying your AK-47 if you want, so we're putting a higher standard here than we even have in our own capitol building," Banducci said. "Doesn't that make you wonder for just a second what we're trying to accomplish and if it's reasonable?"

Christie Wood, a sergeant with the Coeur d'Alene Police Department, said she thinks there is room for further discussion about arming NIC's security staff.

"I could never support this bill as it's written, but this board certainly cares about the safety of our students, faculty and administrators," Wood said.

The legislation cleared its first hurdle Monday in the Senate State Affairs Committee and was sent to be printed. It is destined for a full committee hearing sometime within the next two weeks.

Watch the video of the meeting here: NIC trustees' discussion of guns on campus